Small solid state laser assemblies have several optical components that require alignment after the assembly components are in place. The optical components are often supported spatially and aligned with six-dimensional fixtures. The components are then frozen into the chosen location and orientation, using a component-holding solder that heats and/or freezes the components in the assigned positions. One method of accomplishing this is disclosed by Kane in U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,842.
The optical, temperature control, beam processing and other components may be small and rugged and often take advantage of known designs. For example, Kane et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,793, disclose a non-planar ring laser formed by a multi-faceted crystal, such as Nd:YAG. Kane, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,896, discloses a non-planar ring laser that is contained in an evacuated chamber to eliminate thermal currents that might detune the crystal. The crystal is thermally tuned by a special heater in thermal contact with the crystal.
Scerbak et al disclose use of an Nd:YAG laser rod that is mechanically supported from the envelope of a laser diode that pumps the laser rod through a gradient index lens, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,485. Rotatable wedges in contact with the laser rod allow adjustment of the tilt of the laser rod optical axis. A sheet of piezoelectric material, bonded to a crystalline optical resonator to tune the laser resonant frequency, is disclosed by Kane in U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,532. Kane, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,402, discloses optical pumping of a laser gain medium by a semiconductor, where the shape and focus of the light beam produced by the semiconductor are varied by reflection of this light beam by two mirrors before the light beam arrives at and pumps the laser gain medium.
What is needed is a compact laser assembly that (1) makes efficient use of the small space allotted thereto, (2) allows easy and independent alignment of optical components that are part of the assembly, and (3) provides efficient heat sinking and heat sourcing to control the thermal response of the assembly.